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A nocturnal festivity with which the Australian aborigines celebrate tribal events of importance. Symbolic dances are given by the young men of the tribe, while the women act as musicians.

as a sitting of the House, when it is ascertained that a quorum is not present. (c) To prevent the accession of (a person) to office, by a fraudulent return or count of the votes cast; -- said of a candidate really elected. [Colloq.]

Customary or established sequence of evants; re currence of events according to natural laws. By course of nature and of law. Davies. Day and night, Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost, Shall hold their course. Milton.

set of long fingers parallel to the scythe, designed to receive the grain, and to lay it eventlyin a swath.

In a manner inducing belief; as, I have been credibly informed of the event.

ort pieces of iron instead of rings; also, a fixture with iron points worn on a shoe to prevent one from slipping.

To saturate or impregnate with creosote, as timber, for the prevention of decay.

A framework of timbers and plank backing for a shaft lining, to prevent caving, percolation of water, etc.

discourteously or unreasonably. [Colloq.] To crowd out, to press out; specifically, to prevent the publication of; as, the press of other matter crowded out the article. -- To crowd sail (Naut.), to carry an extraordinary amount of sail, with a view to accelerate the speed of a vessel; to carry a press of sail.…

An old Portuguese coin, worth about seventy cents. [Written also cruade.] Shak.

A frame or wall round the mouth of a well; also, a frame within a well to prevent the earth caving in.

urse; ordinary procedure; progressive and connected movement; as, the current of time, of events, of opinion, etc. Current meter, an instrument for measuring the velocity, force, etc., of currents. -- Current mill, a mill driven by a current wheel. -- Current wheel, a wheel dipping into the water and driven by the cu…

haracterized by haste; hastily or superficially performed; slight; superficial; careless. Events far too important to be treated in a cursory manner. Hallam.

State of being guarded and watched to prevent escape; restraint of liberty; confinement; imprisonment. What pease will be given To us enslaved, but custody severe, And stripes and arbitrary punishment Milton.

An interval of time in which a certain succession of events or phenomena is completed, and then returns again and again, uniformly and continually in the same order; a periodical space of time marked by the recurrence of something peculiar; as, the cucle of the seasons, or of the year. Wages . . . bear a full proportio…

A barrier to prevent the flow of a liquid; esp., a bank of earth, or wall of any kind, as of masonry or wood, built across a water course, to confine and keep back flowing water.

under Carbonic. -- Damp sheet, a curtain in a mine gallery to direct air currents and prevent accumulation of gas. -- Fire damp, a damp consisting chiefly of light carbureted hydrogen; -- so called from its tendence to explode when mixed with atmospheric air and brought into contact with flame.

n a picture. I take care to dash the character with such particular circumstance as may prevent ill-natured applications. Addison. The very source and fount of day Is dashed with wandering isles of night. Tennyson.

c or hydraulic cushion for a falling weight, as in the valve gear of a steam engine, to prevent shock.

The point of time at which a transaction or event takes place, or is appointed to take place; a given point of time; epoch; as, the date of a battle. He at once, Down the long series of eventful time, So fixed the dates of being, so disposed To every living soul of every kind The field of motion, and the hour of rest.…